Electrosurgery, including both the cutting of tissue and the coagulation of vessels, has been performed for many decades. A typical electrosurgical unit such as the Hyfrecator.RTM. manufactured by Birtcher Corporation of El Monte, Calif., has been manufactured and sold for more than fifty years. Typical electrosurgical units in current use such as the Birtcher unit or the Electricator.TM. offered for sale by Burton Medical Products, of Van Nuys, Calif., include a control console having a current selection control and a current intensity control and a pen-type active electrode holder mounted on the end of an electrical cable connected to the control console.
Electrodes of either the disposable or reusable type are mounted in the pen-type holder, which is then gripped by the surgeon and manipulated to perform the desired cutting or coagulation task. A sampling of electrosurgical units and their operation are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,102,270; 2,275,167; 2,808,833; and 2,888,928.
During the cutting or cauterization of tissue, smoke is often produced and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,828,780; 3,906,955; 3,974,833; 4,562,838 and 4,719,914 disclose the use of streams of air or vacuum suction to remove smoke from the area of contact between the active electrode and the patient to improve the surgeon's view of the work area. None of the above-listed prior art patents, however, have provided solutions to the serious problem of the spray and splatter of blood and tissue which emanate from the work area during use of an electrosurgical tool.
It will be understood that, as with all fine scale work, there is a tendency and need for a surgeon to place his face in relatively close proximity to the work area where the active electrode contacts the patient's skin in order to obtain the best view of the area. This has often resulted in blood or tissue particles being sprayed or splattered onto the surgeon's face or into his eyes. Some passive protection has been provided the surgeon through the wearing of glasses and surgical masks, but electrode holders themselves have not been provided with means for preventing the travel of spray and splatter toward the surgeon or his assistants.